“Morning, sleepyhead,” Schatzi said, looking up from her knitting. “I didn’t think you’d sleep so long. Good for you. Must’ve been that mountain air.”
“Maybe.” Maddie smiled sheepishly, running a hand through her sleep-mussed hair. “I guess I needed it.”
“There’s coffee and cinnamon buns in the kitchen. Nothing special—they’re out of a can, but they’re plenty good.”
“I thought I smelled cinnamon. Sounds great.” Maddie glanced outside at the winter wonderland. “The snow stopped, huh?”
“For now,” Schatzi replied, nodding toward the window. “But we’re snowed in. Good thing I had Sam come by yesterday to stack more firewood.”
“Sam?” Maddie asked, furrowing her brow. The name wasn’t familiar to her.
Schatzi glanced at her with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Sam Bishop. My neighbor down the road. He stops by to help out sometimes, since I can’t exactly chop wood myself these days.”
“Sam Bishop,” Maddie repeated. The name stirred something vague in her memory, but she couldn’t place it. Schatzi must have mentioned him before. “I don’t think I remember him.”
“That’s because you two never met. He moved here a couple of years ago, after you and Jack stopped coming up as often.”Schatzi’s voice softened when she mentioned Jack, but she didn’t linger on it. “Nice man. Bit quiet, but nothing wrong with that. Lives by himself with his dog, Fargo. He’s not far. Just down the way.”
As Schatzi finished speaking, a loud, enthusiastic bark came from outside, followed by the muffled sound of a man’s voice. Maddie turned to look out the window, her breath catching slightly as the owner of the voice approached the porch.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in a plaid wool jacket, a green scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. His dark hair, streaked with gray, peeked out from under a knit beanie cap. Beside him, a chocolate Lab in a red collar bounded through the snow, tail wagging in wide, happy arcs.
“That’s him now,” Schatzi said with a grin. “He always checks in after a storm.”
Before Maddie could say anything, there was a knock at the door, and Schatzi called out, “Come on in, Sam!”
The door creaked open, letting in a burst of cold air as Sam stepped inside, stomping the snow from his boots. Fargo followed close behind, his fur dusted with white, his eyes bright and curious as he sniffed the unfamiliar air.
“Morning, Schatzi,” Sam greeted in a low, pleasant voice. His smile was warm as he closed the door behind him, his gloved hands dusting snow off his jacket. He pulled the gloves off and tucked them in his pocket. “Figured I’d come by and make sure you were all set.”
“We’re just fine, thanks to you,” Schatzi replied. “Sam, this is my niece, Maddie. She’s staying with me for the holidays.”
Maddie smiled and stepped forward, extending her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Sam’s handshake was firm but not overwhelming, his hand warm despite the cold. “Likewise,” he said, his brown eyesmeeting hers with a kindness that put her at ease. “Hope the drive up here wasn’t too bad yesterday.”
“It was...interesting,” Maddie admitted, the memory of the winding mountain road and the snowstorm still fresh in her mind.
Fargo trotted over to her, nosing at her hand as though demanding attention. Maddie knelt to pet him, running her fingers through his thick, soft fur. The dog wagged his tail furiously, leaning into her touch.
“He likes you,” Sam said with a smile, watching the scene unfold. “And Fargo’s a pretty good judge of character. He knew your aunt cheated at cards the moment he met her.”
Maddie laughed. Schatzi had been known to pull a few tricks on occasion. “He’s a beautiful dog. How long have you had him?”
“About three years now,” Sam replied, his voice softening slightly as he spoke about his companion. “Got him not long after I moved here. He’s been good company.”
“I bet.” Maddie straightened, the mention of companionship stirring something inside her. Since Jack’s death, loneliness had been a constant shadow. She wasn’t about to share that with a stranger, but there was something comforting about Sam’s quiet presence, his connection to the mountains, and the gentle, caring way he interacted with Schatzi and his obvious affection for his dog. It made her wonder, briefly, what her life would have been like if Jack were still here, or if she’d had the kind of support her sister Becca always seemed to offer...when she had time.
Maddie felt a stab of guilt at that thought. Becca had her own life, her own responsibilities that came with her role as the wife of a successful surgeon. Her schedule was undoubtedly packed tighter than a Christmas stocking. Their conversations were usually rushed, Becca speaking to her from the car or about to head into a charity function, promising to call back later,but often forgetting to do so. It wasn’t that Becca didn’t care—Maddie knew her sister loved her. But sometimes, love wasn’t enough to fill the silence.
And with that thought, Maddie was very happy her aunt had someone like Sam as a neighbor.
“Sam does more than just check in,” Schatzi said, giving Maddie a sideways glance. “He’s been helping me out a lot since my arthritis got worse. Chopping wood, shoveling snow, fixing the leaky roof—you name it.”
“Well, I’m happy to help,” Sam said, his tone modest. “It’s no trouble. Besides, it’s not like I’ve got much else going on.”
Schatzi raised an eyebrow at Maddie, but Maddie wasn’t sure what her aunt was implying. That Sam was lonely too? That he was around if she wanted someone to talk to?
Ignoring Schatzi’s look, Maddie smiled, grateful for Sam’s kindness but not wanting to impose. “It’s nice to know you’re nearby. I appreciate you helping my aunt.”
